


Of Green Skies and Safety

by feainn (Espanglish)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: (sort of), Adorable Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV), Bonding, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, Not Canon Compliant, Romance, Shy Mando, Shy but polite and well-mannered Mando, Strangers to Friends, Trust, because I'm weak for it, mentions of OC death(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27961688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Espanglish/pseuds/feainn
Summary: Lay on their back and arms splayed out alongside them was a male clad in silver armour and swaths of cloth but it was the helmet that made Yaana suck in a breath. A Mandalorian. She heard the stories, knew of these warriors who seemed to be unmatched. Heard of the Mandalorian, Boba Fett, who had captured the infamous Han Solo. Clearly, this wasn’t Boba Fett but it was stilla Mandalorian.
Relationships: Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Din Djarin, Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Din Djarin & Original Female Character(s), Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Original Female Character(s), Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & The Mandalorian, Din Djarin/Original Female Character(s), The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Female Character
Comments: 12
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Lol... I knew I’d jump on the bandwagon eventually.
> 
> I’ve only just started watching the show but I’m already in love with pretty much everyone and everything about it and this idea started to bloom. I haven’t wrote a fic involving an already established character and an OFC for a very long time down to the ridicule that OFCs usually get but tbh? Who tf cares. Mando and the little green gremlin need someone nice in their lives.
> 
> This fic is mainly about budding friendships and building trust with a light dusting of romance (and pining!) on the side. But really I just wanted Mando and the little one to finally be somewhere where they felt safe and at ease, cause they both deserve it :’)
> 
> Enjoy! (Not beta’d so any mistakes are solely mine)

The gentle patter of rain was beginning to soak through her shawl but went unnoticed as she continued her journey back from town, her speeder going at a steady pace. She didn’t mind the rain here; it was quite pleasant, had a strange warmth to it that brought out a wonderful, earthy smell from the forests that dominated the majority of the planet’s terrain. It was refreshing.

Before reaching the bend around a small hill, Yaana continued forward, ignoring the path that kept travellers away from the small, forested area she would take as a short cut on her trips to the main town. It was understandable; while the forests seemed calm, to the unsuspecting it could prove fatal. There were creatures that lingered in the forests, some docile, some not-so. She learned the hard way after passing through the area one time early on after her move to the planet. It was best to avoid the forests when twilight set in.

Thankfully, it was nearing noon so Yaana deemed it safe enough to travel through as usual. As long as it was still daytime the forest here was okay enough to pass through, though it was best not to linger. 

She took the familiar path she found a few years ago, able to wind around the trees with ease, ignoring the curious eyes of the inhabitants living in the canopies above. She followed a trail that dissected between a slope to the right which teetered off into a pond and a small clearing of fern-like greenery to the left. She’d done this journey possibly over a hundred times already.

What Yaana hadn’t anticipated on this particular journey was a booted foot sticking out onto the trail and while her speeder would’ve most likely not hit it while speeding over it, it still startled her enough to stop abruptly before it.

She breathed out hard, eyes wide while looking at the foot. It wasn’t moving and Yaana felt something twist inside her gut. In all her time here, in every journey she took through this small forest she’d never once seen another person - living or dead - save the creatures who called the place home. Folks in the region knew full well to avoid the forests unless it was day time and they had protection. The poor soul that was lying among the ferns had obviously been unaware.

For a few moments, Yaana debated on what to do. Really, she should’ve continued on but curiosity and the need to help became louder in her mind and she swallowed hard, eyes never leaving the foot as she turned off her speeder and jumped off. She kept her movements slow as she placed a hand on her blaster at her hip and took careful steps towards the foot that was still unmoving on the trail. She stared at it, then stared at it some more before poking it with her own booted foot. It still didn’t move.

Yaana felt her heart beat hard against her chest and swallowed the dry lump forming in her throat. Whoever this was they were most likely dead and she knew she should move on but that thought abruptly ended when she heard a noise; a tiny whine came from among the ferns and Yaana went rigid at the sound. But if there was sound then maybe they were alive? Unless a creature had found the corpse…

Slowly, carefully, Yaana moved closer towards the ferns, closer to where the body was hiding among the big green leaves. Pulling her blaster from its holster Yaana used it to part the ferns where the sound came from.

It was a sight she never thought she expected to see.

Lay on their back and arms splayed out was a male clad in silver armour and swaths of cloth but it was the helmet that made Yaana suck in a breath. A Mandalorian. She heard the stories, knew of these warriors who seemed to be unmatched. Heard of the Mandalorian, Boba Fett, who had captured the infamous Han Solo. Clearly this wasn’t Boba Fett but it was still a Mandalorian. Yaana had never seen one before. She was pulled out of her awe-like state when another whine was heard and Yaana’s eyes left the helmet to travel down to the Mandalorian’s side. A small, green creature was slumped against his side, long ears drooping as its little three-clawed hands gripped onto the fabric of the Mandalorian’s shirt. Its big eyes looked up towards Yaana and its distress was obvious; there was a large gash on the Mandalorian’s side, going down towards his hip, open and bleeding sluggishly. The little creature whined again as it pressed closer into the Mandalorian and there was a look of pleading and exhaustion on its face. Yaana bent down as she took a glove off, and pushed two fingers under the material wrapped around the Mandalorian's neck to find a pulse. There was one but it was faint.

Yaana gasped and stepped back abruptly but her instincts quickly kicked in and she looked around for any signs of threat. The gash was large enough for her to realise it was made by a vornskr. The forests at night crawled with them and it looked like these two had the misfortune of running into one of them, possibly a pack. While looking around, moving away from the creature and the injured man, Yaana noticed the dead vornskr in the pond below and deduced that the Mandalorian had managed to kill it but not before he’d been injured - and badly too. 

She knew what she had to do. The medic inside her yelled at her to help them, to take them home and treat them, to give them a chance. The little one especially. She couldn’t just leave it there. 

She shot back to the two and gently picked up the small creature and walked to her speeder to place it on her seat, hoping it would be alright for the moment. Without thought, she pulled her shawl off then pulled out a knife from her boot to tear through the fabric. She knelt next to the Mandalorian and as gently as she could, she wrapped the ripped pieces of her shawl around his wound, trying to stem any further bleeding. She wasn’t certain how long they’d both been there but they were lucky to be alive. Then with a strength she didn’t know she had, she hefted the Mandalorian up, one of his arms placed over her shoulders while she held onto his wrist and held onto his uninjured side with her other hand. She was pretty much dragging him, he felt like dead weight but she didn’t have a choice. As carefully as she could she managed to get the Mandalorian onto the back of her speeder, having to rearrange the goods she had bought from town earlier to make room for him. The little creature watched from her seat, a tiny sob escaping its mouth.

When she was satisfied the Mandalorian was secure Yaana jogged to her seat and took hold of the little creature, cradling it in her left arm, and jumped on, starting the engine with a flick of her wrist.

As the speeder gained momentum and shot through the forest, Yaana heard the creature whine again and she pulled it close, careful to not hurt it and careful not to crash as she went faster. It shivered as it pressed in closer and Yaana felt her heart squeeze.

“It’s going to be okay, little one. I promise.”

—

Yaana’s home was a little bit away from the village proper, which she preferred, but in this case, she was very thankful that she lived on the outskirts seeing as she had two (potentially) injured people with her.

She parked right outside the front of her home and hurried off her speeder, careful not to jostle the creature still cradled in her left arm. While the Mandalorian’s injury was bad she focused on getting the creature inside, checking for any injuries as she went. A sigh of relief left Yaana’s lips when she couldn’t find any and placed the creature on the pillow of her bed. Hopefully just exhausted and hungry at most. 

The creature watched her as she was about to leave, a tiny quizzical coo calling her. She turned, seeing it lying on her pillow and looking at her with its big, black eyes.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” Yaana said, giving it a faint smile, “I promise. I’m just going to get your friend. Stay there.”

She dashed back out, made her way outside, and busied herself with getting the Mandalorian into her home and onto her bed in one piece. The creature’s ears perked up as Yaana dragged him in and as carefully as she could, she placed him on the bed, the creature moving on the pillow to make room for his covered head. Once satisfied he was positioned properly, Yaana dashed back out to grab her medical supplies and some warm, clean water.

With everything gathered Yaana pulled a stool and small table towards the bed and plopped herself down to begin.

The creature sat quietly as Yaana got to work, leaning against the Mandalorian’s helmet with its little hands splayed against the metal. It watched with intrigued but tired eyes. If Yaana could she would’ve gotten it something to eat but she had to treat the Mandalorian’s injuries first.

With an air of professionalism, Yaana unwrapped her ripped shawl from the Mandalorian’s waist and began treating the wound. She bathed it, removing any excess blood then once that was done she began the painstaking task of stitching the wound; thankfully his injuries were not as bad as she thought they were but the gash was still large and susceptible to infection. She had to make quick and efficient work of them.

She had no idea how long she’d been stitching the wound for but once she was finished she breathed a sigh of relief. After her small breather, she covered it with a bacta patch then carefully wrapped the Mandalorian’s lower torso with fresh bandages. Now only time would tell if the Mandalorian would survive his wounds… Yaana hoped so. The wounds themselves weren’t as life-threatening as she thought but things could always go wrong during the recovery process.

She got up and pushed the supplies and tools to one side of the room - she’d clean up later - then turned back to look at the Mandalorian. The creature was watching her with quizzical eyes but didn’t make a sound, still holding onto the helmet. 

The Mandalorian hadn’t moved since she found him, save the faint rise and fall of his chest. She just hoped the dose of painkillers she injected into him would work their magic and keep him comfortable.

Yaana studied him; he looked lean, clearly fit but she couldn’t quite tell due to his armour. She assumed he was human, judging by the tanned tone of his skin when she pushed his undershirt up and away from the wound, revealing his stomach and hip. But again, she couldn’t be fully sure. Best not to make assumptions where Mandalorians were concerned. 

Eventually, she removed his boots and gloves, cape, and then pieces of his armour and his weapons so he’d be more comfortable. Yaana had no idea if that was a no-no, she knew that Mandalorians never removed their helmets - if they did in privacy that was something she wasn't privvy to - so she left the helmet, then pulled out a spare blanket from a storage box and draped it over the Mandalorian, pulling it up to his shoulders. She could always adjust the blanket if it seemed his temperature was too high.

She sighed again then looked towards the creature and smiled. 

“He’ll be okay…” She started. She had no clue if the creature knew what she was saying but she could at least try. She’d never seen its kind before so knowing its language was out the window, “Why don’t we get you something to eat? Then get you into a warm bath… sound good?”

Despite its tiredness, the creature’s ears perked up at the mention of food and Yaana chuckled quietly. Food was always a good start. 

Gently, she picked the creature up and it gazed up at her as it tilted its head. She smiled down at it and cradled it close. Even though the creature's species was a mystery, Yaana couldn’t deny that it was incredibly cute and wondered where the Mandalorian picked the little thing up from.

She settled them both in the kitchen and Yaana served up two bowls of meaty broth she had made the night before. There was nothing said between them, not that the creature seemed to be able to communicate verbally, but it did let out little coos of satisfaction while sipping the bowl, making Yaana smile around her spoon. 

Food finished and bowls set aside to be washed later, Yaana turned to look at the creature. It was looking back at her expectantly. Just… watching. She couldn’t place how old it was despite its wrinkly appearance and small stature but its eyes were inquisitive… knowing. 

She leaned forward on the table, trying to give the creature her best reassuring smile. It blinked up at her and tilted its head to one side.

“How about we get you into a nice warm bath, hm? I know you’re tired but if we get you cleaned up I can clean your clothes for you and find you something a bit warmer to wear. Does that sound good?” She asked.

The creature’s eyes lit up with the mention of a warm bath so Yaana guessed that meant playtime in the water. Something she didn’t mind in the slightest. She laughed and picked it up gently, taking it to the ‘fresher attached to her room. When they entered both their eyes landed on the Mandalorian still lay on the bed, stock still but breathing.

The creature made a small noise of distress and Yaana rocked it gently in comfort, “He’ll be okay, little one. He just needs rest. When it’s time for sleep I’ll put you next to him, okay?”

Please be okay…

The creature looked up at her and blinked, its little hand gripping her shirt. She smiled down at it and brushed a light finger over its ear before taking it for a well-needed bath.

—

Bath time was… messy. Fun but messy. The creature - no, child … most definitely a child - had extreme amounts of fun while in the warm, soapy water. It played with the bubbles Yaana added and was absolutely fascinated by them, giggling as they floated in the air and popped. Kneeling next to the bath, Yaana had watched while supporting its little body with a hand to its back. 

It was… such a familiar scene. A scene that made her heart swell in both joy and sadness. It’d been so long since she’d done this, yet felt like no time at all when she had last done this. Watching the child play happily brought back many memories - both good and sad - and in the end, she had to pull the child out before it became too much.

Now wrapped in a warm towel and in Yaana’s arms, they stood in her room as Yaana stared down at the ornate chest at the end of her bed. She hadn’t been in there for a while but she had clean clothing that was perfect for the child’s size. 

She blew out a slow breath and the child watched her with those big eyes, almost like it could feel her trepidation.

Just do it, idiot.

Quickly, still with the child in her arms, Yaana clicked the lock open and lifted the lid of the chest, and rifled around as quickly as possible. She pulled out a small jumpsuit, a powder blue one, with a little green fish stitched onto the front pocket. She shut the chest quickly then retreated to the stool, plopping herself down to begin drying the child who giggled every now and again when she managed to get a ticklish spot. Its sweet, little laughs helped some of the sadness she felt melt away a little. Everything would be okay. It had to be.

She dressed the child in the cosy jumpsuit and after giving it a once over she smiled at it when it yawned and that was her cue to put it down for a sleep. She noticed how the child had clutched to the injured man earlier and figured there was an attachment there. It would probably feel safer sleeping next to him.

Yaana wrapped the child up in a shawl of hers, a nice fluffy one that was great for staying warm, and then placed the child next to the Mandalorian on the bed. It instantly pressed itself into his side, seeking warmth and comfort and Yaana felt her heart squeeze tightly. She stroked its head gently and it closed its eyes, sleep ready to take it. Hopefully to somewhere nice and away from all things frightening.

With one last look at the child, Yaana shifted her focus to the Mandalorian. His breathing was steady and after checking his temperature and his wound, she was satisfied to leave them be for a while. 

—

The rest of the day went by quietly, allowing Yaana to catch up on things she had to put on hold due to her new… patients.

She had finally brought the supplies in from her speeder, washed and tidied away the remains of the lunch she shared with the child. She got to washing the child’s clothing which had been damp with dirt and rain and encrusted with the Mandalorian’s blood. It left a sour taste in her mouth at the thought that the child had most likely witnessed the fight but Mandalorians were known warriors. Of course, she didn’t know why the child was in the care of a Mandalorian but just how much bloodshed and fighting had the child seen?

A few of the villagers had dropped by during the day, too, some to collect ointments and medicine, others to be treated for scrapes and cuts. Some came to deliver food and other goods to her. Thankfully no one had been none the wiser that a Mandalorian was currently occupying her bed along with a small, green child and she wanted to keep it that way. The village was a reasonable size but news always got around quickly. Not much happened around the area so the news of newcomers would surely bring excitement, curiosity and worry to the village.

Throughout the day Yaana had checked in on the two sleeping in her bed and neither had stirred, which was good. Resting meant a better recovery but she’d have to check them throughout the night. She’d been tempted to wake the child for dinner but didn’t have the heart to wake it when she saw how soundly it was sleeping, wrapped in her shawl and gripping onto the Mandalorian’s sleeve with its tiny hand. 

She set up a makeshift bed on her sofa that night, pulling her blanket up to keep warm, thoughts racing as she stared up at the ceiling in the dark.

How would they fare during the night? Would the Mandalorian pull through? Who were they and why were they here?

It was a long night but Yaana managed to fit a few hours of sleep in between checking on her patients in the next room, both of them dead to the world and not the slightest bit aware.

—

A coo startled Yaana awake, jolting her upright from her sleep on the sofa. 

Her heart raced as she looked down, seeing the child standing in front of the sofa. It was looking at her with its big eyes and Yaana had to scrub her eyes to make sure it was really there. Did it just… walk straight out of bed?

Heart finally slowing to its normal pace Yaana let out a soft laugh. She looked at the clock on the table next to her. Early.

“Good morning, little one. I take it you slept well?”

The child cooed, a little smile appeared on its face.

Yaana stretched then got up. She picked the child up off the floor and ran a gentle finger over its head. 

“How about breakfast?” She asked with an eyebrow quirked in amusement.

The child gurgled in delight and that was enough for Yaana.

—

After eating, Yaana left the child in the living area with a few bits and pieces to play with. Just a few knickknacks she had lying about that the child seemed fascinated by when she’d popped him back on the floor after it had finished eating. With the child occupied that allowed Yaana to freshen up and get ready for the day.

She came out the ‘fresher, feeling a little better for it, and her eyes immediately landed on the Mandalorian still asleep on her bed. He still hadn’t moved but his breathing was steady. That was good. That was something.

Grabbing the stool she left in there from the previous day, Yaana placed it next to the bed and sat herself down, medical supplies next to her on her trolley. 

With gentle hands, she peeled back the blanket, careful to not jostle the sleeping body before her, to expose his torso. Folding the blanket halfway down his body, Yaana then pushed his shirt up. It was ruined and dry with blood but for now, she’d had to leave that until he was awake. She could offer to clean then sew it up if needed. The fresh bandages she’d put on yesterday had a few pinpricks of blood seeping through, not uncommon given the injury, but she cut through them and slid them off, trying to be as careful as she could. She removed the bacta patch and saw the wound had specks of blood dried around it but again, Yaana wasn’t too concerned. The wound looked like it was healing nicely already even if it looked a little angry but there were no signs of infection. The Mandalorian’s temperature had remained normal through the night and Yaana considered the man incredibly lucky. Most would suffer from infection and in worst cases would die but it seemed, so far, he was doing just fine.

With fresh, clean water and a cloth, Yaana began to clean around the wound, taking extra care not to knock the snitches. As she worked, small droplets formed on the end of the cloth from where she’d been holding it causing a few to drop onto the bare skin of the Mandalorian’s stomach. The skin twitched, making Yaana jump back in shock.

She quickly looked up but the Mandalorian hadn't woken. There was no indication he’d felt it save for his skin reacting to the cool water falling onto it. She drew her eyes back down to the droplets, watched as they descended further down his stomach, towards the waistline of his trousers until they were absorbed by the cloth. His skin was a lovely, tanned shade-

Yaana felt a hot blush settle high on her cheeks and she had to rip her eyes away, back to the task in front of her. She felt stupid; stupid for her reaction to how the Mandalorian’s skin reacted, very naturally, to something foreign even while asleep. She’d seen death rattles in the past, for stars’ sake, and never batted an eyelash. She also felt incredibly stupid by how mesmerised she was by those tiny droplets working their way down the man’s golden skin. She felt ashamed. This man, this Mandalorian, was completely unaware of where he was or who he was with and she was busy ogling him. Absolutely shameful. You’re a medic, pull yourself together.

With her eyes glued to the wound, she managed to finish off cleaning then quickly applied a new bacta patch and rebandaged the area. She deftly pulled the torn shirt back over, finally hiding the tanned skin from view, and pulled the blanket back over the sleeping figure. She gathered the dirty bandages and cloth and darted out of the room, trying to clear her mind of golden, sensitive skin.

—

The day went by slowly but it was a nice slow. 

The child, despite barely knowing Yaana, seemed intrigued by her. When it got bored of playing it followed her around, watching as she did various tasks around her home. Sometimes, she even began talking to it, going through what she was doing. It was mundane stuff at best but the child focused on every word she said, eyes looking up to her then back down to what she was doing. It’d even coo and make little noises back at her, causing her to laugh or smile in return.

The child was an absolute delight. It was the strangest thing she’d ever seen but, despite only knowing it for a day, she felt fond of it already. She hoped it felt safe and comfortable around her, being here in her home while she tried her hardest to help its companion recover. She desperately hoped it knew what she was trying to do.

They also shared lunch, then later, dinner, with a nap in between for the child. A few times throughout the day it’d wander into Yaana’s room to climb on the bed to watch its sleeping guardian - guardian? Friend? Parent? Yaana still wasn’t sure but she’d hope she’d get some answers soon - and each time she would reassure the child, would tell it that the Mandalorian needed to rest. It made sad cooing noises but after a while, it’d perk up and wander around again.

Yaana had even debated taking the child outside for some fresh air but decided against it, worried that the Mandalorian would wake and realise that he was somewhere foreign without the little creature by his side. Of course, Yaana didn’t know how the Mandalorian would react but she saw his weapons; she didn’t want to take any chances. She was skilled enough with a blaster to defend herself but she’d have no chance against a Mandalorian.

No one bothered her either, not needing her services except a friend of hers, Jessa, had called in to see how she was. Thankfully the child had been in her room with the Mandalorian at the time, allowing her a brief catch-up with her friend before she left. 

Yaana pondered on how the village would react when they found out she’d been housing a Mandalorian and a strange creature along with him. Would they be frightened? Most likely. Intrigued? Certainly. 

She supposed that when the time came she would have to deal with it like any other situation; calmly and quickly.

Yaana just desperately hoped that this particular Mandalorian wasn’t here to cause any trouble.

—

The night had been and gone, it was the start of a new day and the skies had opened to allow an early morning drizzle. The village was rather quiet at this time in the morning and it was peaceful. Yaana even dared sitting outside on the little bench in front of her home, sipping at a hot drink cradled in her hands while wrapped up in her favourite shawl, as she watched the sun rise. Auruta's skies always held a tinge of green and would blend into different colours. It truly was a beautiful place despite it being some backwater planet situated somewhere of nowhere in the Outer Rim. As the suns rose, Yaana watched as the sky bled from the green and purple shades of dawn to the green and yellow of morning... pure, undisturbed bliss.

But the peace didn’t last long. As soon as Yaana reentered her home she saw the child standing in the doorway to her room, staring up at her with its big, black eyes. It cooed in greeting and waddled its way over to her.

“Hello, little one. Breakfast?” She asked.

It giggled in reply and Yaana couldn’t hold back a smile. Yes, this child was far too cute for its own good.

Breakfast was a quiet affair though the child made little slurping noises at the juice Yaana had provided for it, already finished with its meal. She cleaned the dirty bowls and put them away and she could feel the child’s eyes following her every move.

“I’m going to check on your friend, see how he’s doing. Would you like to come with me? Maybe give me a hand?” 

The child’s ears perked up at the mention of its… friend… and she suppressed a smile. It really did seem attached to the Mandalorian, even though Yaana still continued to question why it was in his care.

Before she could pick up the child there was a thump, followed by what sounded like a scuffle from her room. She froze, eyes locking onto the bedroom door that she left ajar earlier. Silence followed and Yaana knew she should go and check, make sure the Mandalorian hadn’t fallen out of bed but… what if he was awake? His weapons were still in there… what if he found them and was armed? If Yaana walked in he might shoot her point blank. Would he do that? Was that a thing Mandalorians did? Shoot first, no questions asked. She could feel her palms begin to sweat.

There was no sound until the door was slid fully open, finally revealing the Mandalorian. 

He had a hand pressed to his right side gingerly, over the torn undershirt. He was still armourless, still without his boots and other attire save his helmet but Yaana didn’t miss the blaster held firmly in his left hand, the arm down by his side. But she knew that if he had to he would draw and shoot the blaster quicker than Yaana could say boo.

Behind her, the child cooed happily at the sight of its companion, and Yaana, on instinct, grabbed the child, holding it to her chest, ignoring its confused whine.

The blaster twitched at the action but the Mandalorian still hadn’t moved, only that his helmet was now angled towards where Yaana and the child stood.

His breathing sounded ragged behind the helmet and if Yaana was thinking clearer she would say the strain on his body was tiring him already and was most likely in pain but she couldn’t focus outside of anything except the pounding of her heart, the goosebumps rising on her arms and at the nape of her neck. Couldn’t peel her eyes away from the silver helmet, from the blaster in her peripheral.

There was a beat of silence between the three.

Then... the Mandalorian spoke. His voice was quiet, soft, but with an edge that was nothing but deadly.

“Who are you?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the little wait, been a wee bit busy (and feeling yuck in between) but here it is! This chapter is from Din’s POV and I really hope I’ve got his character down well, even though he’s still a mystery.
> 
> Also, to just make it clear, this is post S1 but before Chapter 13: The Jedi, so Grogu is still known as “kid”.
> 
> Enjoy! (Not beta’d so mistakes are my own)

“Who are you?”

Din’s voice was quiet but he could feel the roughness in his throat from disuse, feel it burn from the lack of fluid intake. It felt raw and his side burned, jolts of pain sparking up his side and flaring in his hip. His legs felt as if they would collapse from under him but he held his ground, had his head angled towards the woman holding the kid tightly against her chest. He felt weak, and knew he probably looked it as well.

The woman’s amber eyes were wide, full of fear and something else that Din couldn’t place but he saw a slight tremble in her shoulders as her arms tightened around the kid. Din’s hand gripped the blaster even tighter. 

“Yaana.”

There was a pause.

“What?” Again, Din’s question was quiet but so was the woman’s answer.

“Y-... My name is Yaana.” She replied, clearly trying to keep her voice steady but failing.

There was silence between them except the kid’s cooing, his eyes darting between them in confusion. Din wanted to reassure him, wanted to run to him and pull him away from the stranger currently holding him like he might disappear but while the woman looked to be unarmed, she could still harm the kid and Din couldn’t risk it. Not in the state he was in.

Instead he asked, “And why exactly are me and the child here, Yaana?”

She watched her swallow and part of Din felt guilty. She _looked_ harmless, most likely just an innocent civilian but with the remnants of the Imperials tailing their asses Din couldn’t take any chances. Couldn’t just trust and feel relaxed. Nowhere was truly safe, no matter how far he took the kid or how remote a planet was they were always still found.

After a lengthy pause, the woman cleared her throat, managing to find her voice. It sounded stronger, more surer.

“You’re in my home. I found you and your… child… two days ago. You were injured and unconscious and I thought he was too so I brought you both back on my speeder.”

_Two days?_

Yeah, that sounded about right. Din remembered a pack of vornskr attacking them, remembered him shooting them one by one except the alpha. Remembered the pain as its claws sliced down his side and into his hip as it jumped him, pinning him down with its weight, ready to tear at his throat. Before he could shoot it with his blaster, he saw the kid use his powers to throw it off of him, smashing it into the tree stood in the middle of the pond opposite and heard its bones break at the contact.

He must have passed out after.

His grip on the blaster loosened a little but he still didn’t feel at ease, not yet.

“I see.” Din replied, keeping his voice neutral.

Behind his t-visor Din’s eyes quickly assessed his surroundings; the woman’s home was quaint but cosy. There was a reasonably sized living area which opened into a small kitchen to the right of him. The doorway he was still stood in led straight into what he assumed was the woman’s bedroom and he spotted an en-suite ‘fresher earlier. Nothing spouted immediate danger though he noticed the blaster pistol on the shelf above the small fireplace.

Finally, his eyes looked back at the woman and while she still looked nervous she seemed to have relaxed a little, her arms a little less tight around the kid.

He cleared his throat quietly, then nodded towards the child, “Is he okay?”

The woman blinked then tilted her head down to look at the child, he was looking back up at her and cooing quietly.

“Yes. When I found you both he seemed exhausted but there was nothing to show he was injured.” 

She looked back up and Din couldn’t detect any anxiety in her eyes and her voice was steady.

Before he could speak, the kid cooed at him and reached his arms out towards him, clearly wanting Din’s attention.

After a moment of what looked like a decision being made, the woman gently placed the kid on the floor, letting him waddle over to Din and he felt his heart swell a little. When the kid got to him, his little hands gripped onto his trouser leg and looked up at Din with his eyes and a small smile.

Despite his uneasiness, Din couldn’t deny the child, and he slid his blaster pistol into the waistband of his trousers and, very gingerly, he lowered himself down onto one knee with his hands out, ready to pick up the child.

“Wait!”

The child startled and whipped his head around to look at the woman and Din’s body went still, tense. Slowly, he lifted his head up and stared hard at the woman. She had taken a step closer, an arm reached out with a look of worry on her face. She looked conflicted then sighed, then began walking towards them.

“Although your recovery is going well you’re still not out of the woods, you’ll pull your stitches…” She began, and before Din could react she took hold of his arms gently and pulled him up, then positioned herself next to him and helped him towards the sofa.

After she sat Din down she went back for the child, and with a small smile aimed towards the kid, she passed him to Din, sitting him on his lap. She sat on the armchair, far enough away but she held herself well, most of her uneasiness gone.

Din looked down at the kid, smiling behind his helmet as he stroked a gloveless finger over his ear. The kid was giving him a _look_ and Din felt his face burn, feeling ashamed. Yes, he was wary of being in a stranger’s home. Yes, he had every right to feel uneasy but the kid was unharmed and she had obviously tended to both of them with care.

“I- thank you… ma’am.” He eventually said, hoping she could tell he meant it.

“Please call me Yaana.” The woman - no, Yaana - shot back but it was said with a small smile.

Din nodded once, “Well… okay. Thank you, Yaana.”

The smile he got in return had Din turning his head away quickly to look back down at the kid, ignoring the funny flip his stomach did.

—

Yaana ended up making a batch of soup for them all for lunch, allowing Din to return to the confines of her bedroom to eat in privacy. The kid seemed content enough to stay with her, until he came in not long after Din finished eating and climbed on the bed and curled up next to Din, wrapped in a shawl that must’ve belonged to Yaana. He was quick to fall asleep and Din could feel sleep pulling at his own eyes. Though part of him screamed to stay awake, to stay alert, he was hurting and he felt exhausted. He may not have done much since waking up but the strain on his body from the wariness he felt had tired him out. 

He was asleep in minutes.

—

Din didn’t wake fully for the rest of the day; he vaguely remembered feeling Yaana check over his wounds and inject him with what he assumed were painkillers, seeing as the pain in his side and hip eventually died down to a throb. He also heard her speaking to the child and she must’ve taken him with her for some food but still, he felt too tired, too bone-weary to do anything about it. Part of him felt guilty for leaving the kid in someone else’s care while he was still so vulnerable and Din wasn’t in any condition to fight to help him. He would, if he had to, but it’d prove difficult.

But the kid seemed okay. He watched how Yaana and the child interacted during lunch, and could see she seemed to care about him; she chatted to him as they ate, smiled at his cooing and little squeaks. Before Din retreated to the bedroom the kid had wanted to be picked up by Yaana, and she placed him onto the counter next to the wash basin, creating bubbles while she washed the empty bowls and it made the child giggle. He hadn’t been able to repress the smile. 

It was nice. He seemed happy.

At some point during the evening, Yaana had left him a canteen of water and some fruit on the bedside table, though when he cracked his eyes open some time later he saw the fruit had dwindled so the kid had probably helped himself before falling asleep next to him.

Din had managed the last pieces of fruit and few sips of water but for the rest of the night he was out cold.

—

The clock on the nightstand told him it was early when he woke the next morning. 

Pushing himself up, Din looked down to see the child still asleep, wrapped up in the shawl Yaana had given him as a blanket. The material was soft between his fingers as he rubbed it and he could see why the kid was so content to wrap himself up in it. Din’s lips quirked and he ran a finger over the child’s head. He didn’t stir, so Din took the opportunity to gingerly pull himself out of bed, careful to mind his stitches, and headed to the ‘fresher.

After he’d managed to clean himself up a bit, Din returned to the bedroom, sat on the edge of the bed and began pulling on his armour, fixing each piece on without much thought. It was second nature.

Din left the child in bed, figuring he could do with a few extra hours of sleep, and he left the bedroom to find the rest of the house was empty. A small lamp was on and the blanket and pillow Yaana must have been using while Din occupied her bed was folded and at the end of the sofa. Din felt himself internally wince. She’d given up her bed so he and the child could be comfortable and had to resort to sleeping on the sofa. It made Din feel uncomfortable.

He noticed the front door was ajar and he peeked through the gap, and saw Yaana sitting on a small bench while sipping a drink. He slid through, careful not to make too much noise but Yaana turned and smiled politely at him.

“Good morning. I’m surprised you’re awake… and dressed in your armour.” She quipped but there was no malice in her voice, only a glint of amusement in her amber eyes that reflected in the early morning light.

“Yeah, well.” Din said and cringed at his own answer.

Yaana didn’t seem to mind and she moved over on the bench and motioned to it with her hand, inviting him to sit down. So he did.

They were silent for a few moments, watching the village wake up from a distance. Those who were up and out early were too busy to notice the two figures sat on the bench, people watching. Too busy minding their own business. Good. Din didn’t want any extra attention.

Yaana broke the silence as she turned to him, her voice soft, and said, “I’m sorry, I’ve realised I haven’t asked you your name. Or the child’s.”

Din contemplated for a moment, gaze still looking ahead until he tilted his head to let her know he had acknowledged her.

“Mando’s just fine,” He replied, keeping his own voice soft, “As for the kid… I don’t know.”

“You… don’t know his name?” Yaana asked, puzzled.

“... no. He- he is a foundling, but when I acquired him I wasn’t aware of his name. Just his age.”

Yaana’s eyes squinted a little as she looked at him, obviously trying to deduce what he had just told her.

“When you say acquire… was he a bounty? From the stories I’ve heard many Mandalorians were bounty hunters so I’m assuming you are, as well?” 

Her question wasn’t judgmental, curious if anything but he could hear the concern in her voice for the kid. Understandable.

“Yes. The client wanted him for reasons I’m still not sure of, but… I ended up going back for him. He’s just a child.” 

Din was never much of a talker and he wasn’t quite sure why he felt like he could talk as openly - well, openly for him - to somebody he barely knew. He shouldn’t be telling Yaana anything in regards to who or what the child was, they were still on the run, still in danger but all she’d done since they arrived was care for them and made sure they were warm, fed and safe. And in Din’s case, treated and tended his wounds.

She nodded in response then rather abruptly asked, “Are the people here in danger?”

Din tensed. He knew the answer, knew they would eventually end up in danger but he couldn’t lie. There was no point in it. 

“Possibly. Everywhere we’ve been, they’ve followed. We’ve been trying to stay low but somehow, they’ve managed to find us each time.” 

It was blunt but it was better than sugar-coating it.

Yaana sucked in a sharp breath but nodded in understanding, but it left Din intrigued. She wasn’t concerned with herself, whether she was in danger. Just the other inhabitants of the village.

He was hesitant to ask and most of the time, Din would leave it be, usually didn’t care, but there was a little bit more to Yaana than she was showing. But they were only just strangers to each other.

“You don’t seem so concerned about your own safety.” 

The corner of Yaana’s lips turned up a little before she licked them quickly and Din had to turn his head away, turn his focus back towards the awakening of the village.

“I was a field medic for the Rebellion. And I’ve had combat training too. These people,” She said as she pointed a tanned hand out towards the rest of the village, “They aren’t equipped to fight. They’re fishermen and mechanics, farmers and labourers. Auruta is usually a layover for bandits and smugglers but they tend to go to the larger towns. But the older generations here remember the days of the Empire. They tried to take Auruta at one point, but failed, and they’ve been left alone ever since...”

She stopped for a moment, holding her cup close to her chest then turned to look at Din.

“The people here are peaceful, and do not deserve any more disturbance. Do you understand?” She asked, her eyes were serious but she wasn’t being unkind. She was just making a point and Din couldn’t fault her for her concern. Everywhere he went, with the kid in tow, he always brought something bad along with him.

He nodded once, “I understand.”

Din could feel Yaana looking at him, her eyes boring into the side of his helmet and Din couldn’t quite bring himself to meet her gaze. 

Instead, he said, “We’ll leave this afternoon. You’ve been generous to us, I don’t wish to keep more of your time.”

The thought of leaving was… it left a sour taste in Din’s mouth. 

Yaana’s soft, airy laugh broke him out of his thoughts and he turned to look at her in surprise, glad she couldn’t see him gaping behind his helmet. She took another sip of her drink then smiled at Din.

“I’m not saying you have to leave. And you’re not fit to, either,” She said kindly, then added, “You can stay, as long as you need to, or at least until you’re recovered enough.”

Din felt his throat go tight. He was, well, glad, she said that. Even though Din knew it would be safer to leave, he was tired. And he wanted the kid to have some semblance of normalcy, even if it was for a little while.

“I- thank you, ma’am. That’s very kind of you.” Though Yaana couldn’t see his eyes he couldn’t quite meet her gaze but she nodded and smiled sweetly.

“Though I will need to check on my ship.” He added.

“Where did you leave it?” 

“Not far from where you found us.”

Yaana got up from the bench and looked down at Din, with another smile she offered her hand to him to help him up and, hesitantly, he took it, but her grip was firm as she pulled him up.

“Well, we can go and get your ship after breakfast.”

Din’s hand was still in her’s as he stared through the t-visor at her.

“No, I will go. You’ve already done enough for us.”

A bark of laughter escaped Yaana and she let go of Din’s hand to cover her mouth. 

“Sorry,” She laughed behind her hand then dropped it down to her side, “But as your last attempt going through the forest wasn’t very successful, I’ll be coming with you. And what sort of medic would I be if I let my patient wander off on his own while he’s barely healed?”

What Din wanted to say died in his throat. Yaana’s eyes, while amused, showed stubbornness, she was going with him regardless. No room for argument.

“We’ll bring the child, he needs some fresh air, and I’ll be your backup. I know these forests like the back of my hand. You’ll get your ship, but we’ll go together, okay?” 

Din nodded once in reluctant agreement and Yaana gave him a small smile. She returned inside, leaving Din standing there, staring at the spot she just vacated.

—

They walked to where the Razor Crest had been left. Yaana had offered to take them on her speeder but Din had told her he wanted to stretch his legs, that the walk would do him some good. While Yaana hadn’t been too pleased with his answer she agreed in the end, and the three of them were not far off from entering the forest Yaana had found them in.

The kid was with Yaana, cradled in a makeshift sling she quickly made up, close to her chest. She was in front, leaving Din to follow, and he could hear her chatting to the child, her voice soft. He could hear the kid coo back at her, some giggles here and there and Din felt his heart swell each time. He really did seem comfortable with her.

Yaana stopped at the forest’s edge, turning towards Din, the child’s small hand wrapped around her finger.

“Keep your eyes peeled,” She said, eyes locked onto Din, “The forests are, in the main, safer during the day. The vornskr usually only come out at night but it’s best to be prepared.”

Din nodded and when Yaana turned to walk into the forest, he followed close behind. He may still be injured but he wasn’t going to let the child or Yaana come into harm’s way.

Though Yaana had told him this particular forest was small compared to others in the area, it was still vast, filled with thick canopies above them, large roots twisting and curling over each other along the forest floor. The trek was a little tricky in itself, Din being slower than he liked to be but there was something tranquil about the place and the child seemed occupied by the small, strange creatures skittering about.

They walked for some time, still not quite near the clearing where the Crest was but Yaana seemed to know where she was going so all Din could do was follow. They didn’t say much to each other, except the odd _watch your step_. But it was… comfortable. 

Before Yaana could walk any further, Din’s helmet picked up something in infrared; a taut wire was pulled across the makeshift trail, hidden among the brush hugging close around their legs and Din didn’t have time to warn her. He grabbed her by the upper arms before her leg touched the wire, pulling her back and into his chest. She froze and the child whined in his sling, clearly distressed.

“What-“ 

“A trap. You were about to walk through a tripwire.” Din cut her off, voice quiet.

He held her close as he slowly looked around, eyes focused from behind his helmet. They weren’t alone. Din could feel Yaana’s heart beat hard against his chest, even through the beskar but she didn’t move, only pulled the child closer to her, arms wrapping themselves around his little body in the sling to form a shield.

Within a matter of seconds, there was a flurry of movement and shouting among the trees and Din pushed Yaana and the child out of the way, behind one of the thick trunks. There were four of them; bandits, each one a different species and Din pulled out his blaster, hitting one square in the chest before they could get any closer. Across from him, Yaana had pulled out her own blaster, her back pressed into the tree trunk. A blaster shot narrowly missed her face as she went to peer out and she darted behind the trunk, eyes closing briefly. The child whined and she pulled him even closer, then shot back out to shoot at the bandit, once in the stomach then head, downing them quickly.

Din could feel his side burning as he pushed himself up against a tree opposite Yaana. Three more bandits rushed through, weapons raised and shooting at them. From the looks of them they were most likely small time but Din wasn’t going to risk anything. He was still injured and while Yaana had said she had combat training, she was first and foremost a medic, and she had the kid. Din had to be careful, had to make sure they didn’t get hurt because he was careless.

He shot another one, and they were down in a matter of seconds. Yaana was having trouble with one continually shooting at her, leaving her no room to quickly maneuver so she could take a shot. Din had them in his line of sight and he was able to down them quickly, ending their barrage towards Yaana and the child. 

With three left, Din chanced it, darting out from behind the tree despite his side screaming at him, shooting at two more of them until they fell to the floor, unmoving.

He could hear the last bandit charging at him but before Din could react, could turn and raise his blaster to shoot the bastard dead, he heard a thump behind him as the bandit’s body hit the forest floor and saw Yaana with her own blaster raised, slowly walking towards him. She still had an arm wrapped around the kid and only when she was near him did she lower her blaster.

“Are you alright?” Yaana asked, concern written all over her face. She was about to touch his side when he put a hand up to stop her.

“I’m fine,” Din said softly, then while he scanned his eyes over the two he asked, “Are you both okay?”

“We’re fine.” She replied and gave him a small smile.

Din held a finger out for the child, and he took it greedily, squeezing his gloved finger and Din couldn’t help the small smile behind his helmet and ran his other hand gently over the child’s fuzzy head. Yaana rubbed the kid’s other ear between her thumb and index finger and together, they watched as the child cooed, lapping up the attention.

But it didn’t last and they couldn’t stay where they were for long. After a quick look around for any more bandits then deeming it clear, they carried on towards their destination.

—

The Razor Crest was exactly how Din had left it and he let himself breathe a sigh of relief when they were close enough. The metal of the ship was sleek with rain that began not long before they left the forest but it was light enough not to hinder their journey.

As Din checked over the outside of his ship, he noticed Yaana was standing with her arms cradling the kid, no longer in the sling, and she had a wide grin on her face, eyes gleaming as she looked up at the Crest.

“Wow… a _Razor Crest_?” She said in bewilderment, to no one in particular but the child squeaked as he looked up at her with his big, black eyes, “These things are ancient! Pre-Empire, right?”

She turned her head to Din as he opened the hatch to the cargo hold and he nodded. She came forward, and when the hatch was down she stood on her tiptoes to get a peek inside, not moving from her spot at the bottom of the platform.

Din could see the excitement and curiosity on her face and he felt his stomach do that funny flip again, and he cleared his throat, voice quiet but sounded far too keen than he’d like.

“You can… have a look inside if you want. It’s not much.”

Yaana blinked, “Really?”

“Yeah.” He replied with a nod.

Yaana smiled brightly at him and Din had to look away but she was looking down at the kid.

“You can show me around your home, little one. What do you say?”

The kid cooed back in agreement.

— 

Din was up in the cockpit while he left Yaana and the child in the cargo hold, he was checking to see if everything was in working order - which it was - but he was still in need of fuel, which was the main reason he’d landed on this planet in the first place, as well as the possibility of a brief respite for the kid.

When he’d climbed down the ladder to the cargo hold, he found Yaana leaning against the edge of his bunk and swinging the kid in the little hammock he had made for him all those weeks ago. The child was giggling as she pushed gently, and Yaana was chuckling softly and whispering to the kid in a sweet voice.

Din was rooted to the spot and he felt his heart stutter, felt his breath catch in his throat but more than anything he felt confused. He didn’t know this woman, and he and the kid most likely wouldn’t be around long enough to get to know her better, but seeing Yaana interact with the kid - _his kid_ \- with such tender affection it made Din feel something. It was a foreign feeling but it made him ache, ache deeper than his new wound and old scars.

“You’re good with him.” He blurted, then mentally kicked himself. 

Yaana was smiling when she turned her face to look at him, not stopping her swinging of the hammock. She gave him a soft chuckle.

“I love kids,” She replied, then turned back to her task when the child whined at her, “Doesn’t matter what species they are. They’re so full of life and wonder, so carefree. And _this_ one… well, he’s quite a bundle of joy. Though he’s cheeky.” She explained, giving the child a little pinch on the cheek. He squealed but it was with mirth and his little hands came up to wrap around her fingers.

Din didn’t say anything, just continued to watch, his eyes going soft at the sight.

“When you were out for those two days, he was worried. Kept going to check on you or sleep beside you when he got tired. He seems very attached to you, like you’re his father figure.”

Din’s throat felt like it closed completely and he swallowed thickly, his eyes looking down at Yaana’s boots. He wasn’t the best caretaker, wasn’t the best _father figure_ but he felt himself attached to the kid, too. To think he could’ve left the child with the Imperials, left them to do unthinkable things to him. It made Din’s blood boil and he wouldn’t stop until the child was safe. Wouldn’t stop running or killing those who tried to take him, tried to hurt him. 

All he could do was nod.

“Mando.”

Yaana called him and he shifted his eyes back to her.

“You’re great with him. A little awkward, yes, but parenthood can be. You’ve just… got to learn and soon it’ll come naturally.”

Her words and eyes were kind but Din struggled to keep eye contact, even with his helmet shielding his gaze from her, and he focused hard on the silver strands of her hair falling over her left shoulder.

“Thank you.” Was all he could say.

The silence was interrupted by the child’s whining.

—

Yaana had offered that Din could fly the Crest back to the village and although Din wasn’t too keen on the idea, knowing that the arrival of the ship would bring attention to his and the child’s presence, he didn’t want to leave the Crest where it was, either. He didn’t want bandits to eventually find his ship and potentially loot or damage it. But with Yaana’s persuasion he did, and he landed it on a small bit of land not far from Yaana’s home.

When they disembarked, some of the villagers ran over to see what was happening, others watching from their spots. They were crowded outside Yaana’s home and while Din stayed behind with the child in the crook of his left arm, Yaana pressed forward and shooed them, telling them they were guests and she was currently housing them but would prefer they not bothered him or the child. He was grateful for her foresight.

They managed to get inside without any more fuss but he could see the child looking longing at the small group of children that had gathered, watching and whispering between themselves about who the man with the helmet was and who was the little, green creature with him.

Maybe - _maybe_ \- tomorrow, Din could take the kid outside, let him wonder around and play with the children. It wouldn’t hurt. Yaana said the villagers were good people and he remembered the fun the kid had with the children he played with back on Sorgon. He needed some normalcy.

Yaana had gone straight to the kitchen to fix up something to eat and the child’s eyes darted to the food she was pulling out. He held out his arms and whined up at Din so he put him on the floor, the kid making a beeline towards the food.

As Din straightened up, he winced hard, hand immediately going to his right side and he couldn’t help the grunt to go along with it.

Yaana whipped around and within seconds she was by his side, pulling his hand away to press lightly over his injury. He winced again and she looked up through her lashes at him with an apologetic look.

“I think you’ve pulled your stitches. Come on.”

She led him into the bedroom and told him to remove his chest plate and cape and to lie back on the bed, and while Din didn’t want her to fuss he felt obliged to, so he did what he was told. The kid had followed and climbed onto the bed, sitting next to his injured side. As Yaana was grabbing her supplies he saw the child reach out a small hand to where his injury was, and Din knew what he was trying to do, so he put a gentle hand around the child’s, not wanting him to tire himself out by trying to heal Din.

“It’s okay, kid. You don’t need to.” He whispered softly and the child’s ears drooped a little, wanting to help, but Din stroked his head then moved him out of the way gently so Yaana could get to his stitches.

When she sat down, she worked quickly; pulling up his shirt and gently unwrapping the bandages so she could pull the bacta patch off and inspect his injury.

“Ah, you just popped a couple of stitches so it’s bleeding a little but it still looks okay… did you do this when we bumped into those bandits? Please don’t tell me you’ve been in pain all this time.”

Din felt himself blush a little at the slight scold but shook his head.

“I haven’t. I-... I think I did it when I just put the kid down on the floor.”

Yaana snorted and Din frowned behind his helmet at the reaction, then frowned and blushed even harder when he found himself thinking her snort was cute.

“So we go on quite a trek to get to your ship, _then_ we get into a small firefight with some bandits, you’re then able to fly your ship back here but putting the child down is what caused you to pop your stitches.” She laughed.

Din stayed silent, slightly embarrassed.

Yaana stopped laughing but was smiling softly at him.

“Sorry, I wasn’t laughing _at_ you. It’s just sometimes it’s always the smallest things. It’s like heavy lifting all day without breaking a sweat but pulling your back out getting out of the bed in the morning. It happens, don’t worry about it.”

Din sighed and the child looked at him quizzically. He ignored him.

Yaana got back to work, cleaning the wound over and redoing any of the popped stitches. Thankfully, no real damage had been done and Yaana seemed satisfied enough. She pulled back to put her supplies on the small table beside her and grabbed the patch and bandages. 

“You shouldn’t have to have the bandages on for much longer. You’re healing nicely so you’ll just need a patch on for a bit until your stitches have to come out.” She commented as she opened the packet the patch was in.

She smoothed the patch over the long, still healing gash, careful not to put too much pressure on it as she did. When she pulled her hand away, it grazed over the skin just under Din’s navel and his stomach fluttered at the contact.

Yaana pulled her hand away like she had just been burned and Din felt heat return to his cheeks again. It was only small, barely nothing and an accident but that little bit of contact had electricity shoot over his entire being and Din felt so, so stupid. It had been a long time since anybody touched him, aside from any contact he received when getting into fights, and this wasn’t even in an intimate manner but with his stomach and hip bare to Yaana it was still so personal.

Yaana wouldn’t look at him as she began wrapping the bandages around him, being very careful not to skim his skin with her hands as she did so, and didn't say a single word. Her eyes stayed locked onto what she was doing, never sparing Din so much as a glance.

It was awkward and silent until Yaana got up and took her supplies and the dirty bandages with her. She was looking past his head when she addressed him.

“I’ll fix us something to eat while you’re getting dressed.” She said quietly, smiling tightly then left, the door sliding shut behind her.

Din sighed hard and thumped back on the bed. The kid made a confused sound and Din turned his head to look at him.

“Don’t. Say. A word.” He ground out, without venom, as he pointed to the child.

The child just tilted his head in response and made a little gurgling sound and Din knew he was being judged.

—

After food, Din had stayed in Yaana’s bedroom, ended up shedding his armour, boots and cape - minus the helmet - and promptly passed out. The trek and the fight from earlier had exhausted Din more than he’d like to admit, but he also knew, somewhere deep down, being constantly on the run and fighting against the Imps as well as helping some people along the way, he was running on fumes. He was tired and all he wanted to do was keep the kid safe. But he wasn't, was he? When Din made the decision to take the child away from the Imps, away from Gideon, he knew both their lives wouldn’t be the same and they wouldn’t rest until they had the child or Din found a way to stop them. But he was one man and all he could do was keep running, for now.

He’d also stayed in Yaana’s bedroom for the rest of the day out of sheer embarrassment. Din wasn’t someone who was easily embarrassed or flustered, his helmet hiding his reactions and expressions from others. It was his life, his Creed. His helmet was his shield, his very own barrier against others. And yet, the helmet couldn’t help him when he felt the light brush of Yaana’s hand against his skin. It couldn’t stop him from reacting to the contact in the most humiliating way possible.

Despite Yaana’s own awkwardness, she’d been gracious enough to leave Din to his own devices. She brought him some dinner, with the child in tow, where he stayed and played with Din a bit, until he fell asleep for the rest of the evening, cuddled up to Din’s side with Yaana’s shawl.

It was late and Din wasn’t able to sleep despite his tiredness, instead he felt restless. Like he needed to get up and walk around. He knew Yaana was still up, could hear something coming from the living area. He should’ve just gone back to sleep but before he knew it, he was up and out of bed, being careful not to wake the child as he did. He opened the bedroom door and stood in the doorway, seeing Yaana sat on her sofa with her legs tucked up underneath her. Her silver hair was down, ready for bed, and Din couldn’t help notice how the lighting from the lamp made some of her hair look pale, almost white. She was watching something on a holo but when she looked up at Din she turned it off.

“Sorry, I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything…” Din said, throat feeling a bit dry.

Yaana smiled gently at him, “No, I was just catching up with some news. How’re you feeling?”

“I’m fine, thank you.” He replied then slowly, he made his way to the sofa, sitting on the opposite end to Yaana. She watched him as he did but Din kept his focus away from her eyes. 

There was silence between them, sort of awkward, sort of something Din wasn’t sure what to put a name to, and he saw Yaana picking at her sleeping trousers from the corner of his eye, at some non-existent lint. She must have been feeling the same way Din had been all day but for different reasons. She had clearly been uncomfortable with the way he had reacted to her touch, and Din felt a wave of shame wash over him. A woman he didn’t know had been kind enough to house him, and look after both he and the child, while he recovered from his injury and then he had to make his host feel uncomfortable because he was so touch-starved for physical contact.

He cleared his throat, “We should leave. Tomorrow. We’ve already outstayed our welcome.” 

A pale brow raised in bemusement and Yaana shook her head a little.

“I’ve already said you can stay for as long as you need to, at least until the stitches are out,” She said, voice stubborn, then she looked away, her voice going quiet, “Besides, I quite like the company.”

Din didn’t miss the tint of colour that entered her cheeks but he didn’t comment, he didn’t want to embarrass her further and he was trying to fight down the heat prickling his own cheeks at her admission, even though he knew Yaana wouldn’t be able to tell with his helmet keeping his face from view.

After Yaana collected herself, she cleared her throat and looked at Din, amber eyes shining in the low light.

“If it makes you feel any better, the forests here are dense enough to scramble any tracking systems until you’re close enough to the ground. It’s easier if you’re closer to town to get any sort of signal but it may buy you some time. Just enough until you’re properly back on your feet, that is…”

Din nodded, both he and the kid could really do with a break. He didn’t want to put all his eggs into one basket, hoping that being on Auruta meant the Imps wouldn’t find them because he knew they would eventually. But Yaana’s words brought some sort of relief, she knew the planet better than him and he, somewhere deep down, hoped her words held true. 

Din brought his gaze up to Yaana and she was looking at him expectantly, her previous embarrassment gone.

“Thank you,” He said, trying to sound as sincere as he could, though he felt awkward when he added, “But if we’re to stay here a while you should at least have your bed back.” 

Yaana snorted, for a second time that day, and Din forced away the thought that it still sounded cute but Yaana cut him off before he could have some eternal battle over it.

“Tell you what, you can use my bed until your side is a bit more comfortable then we can sort something out from there. I won’t have you on the sofa, it’s not suited for recovery.”

She really was stubborn when it came to Din and his welfare and all he could do was nod.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good,” Yaana smiled, then had to cover a hand over her mouth when she yawned, “Sorry, today’s walk has got to me more than I thought. I should probably get some sleep and so should you.”

Din took that as his cue to leave so he pulled himself up, walked to the doorway of Yaana’s bedroom, seeing the kid was still fast asleep through the gap in the door, and he turned to look at Yaana who was pulling the blanket towards her. She looked up at him when she realised he was still there and gave him a small smile.

“Goodnight, Mando, sleep well.”

“Goodnight, Yaana.”

The door shut behind him and Din was still tense as he pulled himself under the blanket, lying down on his back. He was careful not to wake up the child though he pulled him closer to his side, tucking the shawl tighter around his little frame and he sighed when he thumped his head back onto the pillow.

It was hours until Din finally found sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated! <3
> 
> Next chapter probably won’t be up until some time after Christmas, so I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday, whether you’re celebrating or not <3

**Author's Note:**

> So this was supposed to be a long one shot but it seems to have gotten away with me...
> 
> Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Stay tuned :D


End file.
